W Reid 10
J Smith <45
Match Information
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: R.J. Kelso (Hamilton)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
I saw a bogey laid at Cathkin Park. Some people had got it into their heads that Third Lanark could do nothing with Rangers nowadays – that a blue jersey was enough to make a red one shrink. Had Third Lanark suffered the usual punishment inflicted upon them in recent games by the Ibrox rival, they would have had an excellent excuse in the absence of Brownlie, Gibb and Brown; I believe they also would have thought of Riley in that connection. But, on the whole, I do not consider that the changes impaired the general quality of the side. In any case, the team played well enough to thoroughly merit a draw, a fact which Rangers were among the first to admit. Rangers had their chance in the early part of the game, when the ground had not yet cut up, and when fast, close football could be played. They were able to take the lead within five minutes, and for thirty minutes shaped like winners. Then Third Lanark equalised. Immediately the pace slackened, and this better suiting the home team, Rangers never afterwards could do more than fight hard for a winning goal. The longer the game went the less likely they were to get it, for the ‘Volunteer’ grew stronger and stronger in defence, and the forwards were coming into the game in more threatening style than ever. It was even not improbable that the Third Lanark would snatch a winning goal in one of their closing raids. So you see why Rangers were please enough to divide the points, while, of course, the Cathkin club were highly delighted that they should have laid the bogey aforesaid, and at the same time have kept safe their home record of undefeat in the League. From first to last it was a capital game to watch, one of those keen, tug-and-pull affairs which invite the remark that the paying crowd – of whom there was the remarkably fine array – of ten thousand – got value for their money. Rangers stepped out like a team a team brimful of confidence. The forwards mixed their game nicely, neither the wings nor the centre getting too much of the ball. Lennon and Orr were standing up to it very well, and few were prepared for a score so early. But only five minutes had gone when Reid, in possession, and not very far away from goal, was confronted by three or four opponents. Here, if ever, was a case of too many men spoiling the tackle. Each seemed to leave the job to the other, and the next thing we saw was Reid wriggling through and shooting so unexpectedly that Wharrier could only stand helplessly watching the ball rolling away from him and over the line into the net. Rangers more confident than ever, went swinging into the game in a fashion that caused the Cathkin defence to strain every nerve. Their forward passing was quicker and more accurate than the Third Lanark vanguard were displaying, and the half-backs gave the home trio a lesson in the wisdom of not being tackled in possession. The lesson, I think, was taken to heart, for before the end both forwards and half-backs of the home team were a vastly improved company. Well, things had been looking pretty well for Rangers when Third Lanark left wing raced to near the line. Mountford slung the ball over, and James Smith, looking for something of the sort, cleverly hooked it with his left foot over his shoulder into the net. The goal had the effect of steadying Third Lanark, and from this point onward they held their own splendidly. Particularly dis the half-backs improve in their tackling, beside which they began to support the forwards much better. Still the margin, small as it was, of method, balance and skill was with Rangers, and as it happened, Reid, who had been making many dashing attempts to clinch the play of the wings should have scored shortly before the interval. He went cleat of the backs with the ball at his feet. I except that Wharrier must have begun to say his prayers, so to speak, for Reid had only to run the ball up to and past him. Instead, the Ranger shot from where he stood, and the ball went off his foot at a tangent and wide of the post. The nearest Third Lanark came to scoring was when Yates, who was often trying, with little luck, got past Hendry and Muir, only to be drawn up by Pursell in the nick of time. It was pull devil, pull baker in the second half – a ‘bonnie fecht.’ First Third Lanark showed the way; then Rangers recovered some of the old dash, spurred on by the refusal of a penalty claim on behalf of Bowie, who seemed to me to be tripped when dribbling in; and after Third Lanark had again bared their teeth, and had given Hempsey a fright through Mountford. While, and Smith each in turn, the game settled down to a hard, dour duel that lasted to the finish without either side being able to score. Many were the attempts made to put Reid through, but few of the passes went kindly to him, and besides, Swift made great use of his length of limb and of his head work to check the Ibrox centre. Recruit Thomson, on the left, also was well plied with the ball, but by the time Walker and Lennon were holding him and Cairns well. One chance of scoring Thomson did have, but, like many a more famous man before him, he misdirected his shot. In the last minute minutes the Third Lanark forwards found their second wind. Some of their wide passing runs and the centres of Yates had an ugly look for Rangers, whose defence at this time was nothing like so certain as in the first ‘quarter.’ But as I say, there was no more wool, although lots of cry. Everybody was – or ought to have been – satisfied. It was not a game of brilliant personalities. Every man had his share in making it the keen struggle it was, but none persistently dominated it. I make no criticism of that. It was a good feature. But one thing impressed me, and that was the return to form of Orr. At the start I thought he was going to disappoint one of his admirers, but before the finish he was as good as nay back on the field. He was then kicking with all his old power and keeping the ball in the park. Neither Wharrier nor Hempsey was overworked, yet they had ever to be on the alert, and they Both had some good saves. Craig and Muir were masters of their commission in the early part of the game, but when the ground cut up and the ball became heavy they were not so certain either in tackling or kicking. That, however, was common to all, half-backs as well as backs, on both sides. This was the third meeting of the two teams this season, and the Third Lanark half-backs played easily their best game of the three. At first they were erratic and somewhat easily beaten nut they settled down after the equalising goal, and put in some excelled work. Walker’s judgment was conspicuous and Swift’s was excellent in keeping the Rangers inside forwards in check. Hannah’s game was so much better than the one he played at Ibrox some time ago that you scarcely would have known the man. The Rangers’ half-backs did not sustain their early standard, especially Hendry. Gordon and Pursell, however, got through a good deal of slogging work that was more useful than fancy. Rangers had the better balanced forward lone, but the play here also was not sustained, on account partly of the ground becoming extremely heavy in places. Thomson I believe, is a lad who will succeed. He is gritty and has resource as was shown in the way he was beating Walker and Lennon in the early period of the game. Reid had the ball so frequently pushed his way that he had no time to play the waiting game, but some of the passes meant for him would have requited Gulliver’s legs to get at. There was no shooting power in the line, and the same fault was noticeable in the Third Lanark attack. It seems, however, as if a good outside-right had been discovered by Cathkin in Yates. When well supported he made excellent use of the ball. He crossed centre with precision, and it was from that source that the Rangers’ defence was worried in the latter stages. Considering his injury of the previous day, and that he was out of his place JW Smith did well; J Smith’s goal was cleverly done and with Pursell watching him. Mountford played with some of the old spirit, but though he would have been more successful had he made a practice of centreing sooner. As an emergency partner Wharrier did not fail.
